Speaking of the driver.
Piloting the X3 is nothing but smooth and flawless. Thanks to the magnesium-constructed, inline 6-cylinder engine beneath the xDrive28i's hood, it's one of the lightest sixes in its class. Fairly impressive, as it pushes out 240 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. And while that's not an astronomical amount of power, it's enough to power the X3 when needed and gives the driver that sporty feel, despite the crossover shape and size.
While not the sportiest of the X3s (that would be the X3 xDrive35i that resident speed demon Matt St-Pierre will be reviewing shortly), the xDrive28i still feels like it has track-time in its engineering, thanks to the 8-speed automatic transmission. I know, “sporty” and “automatic” don't usually go together, but there's something about BMW's Steptronic system that makes it one of the best I've driven.
Add to that the fact that it also helps the car to be more efficient, with faster gear changes that keep your revs low and your fuel consumption down, and you've got an automatic transmission even the most diehard manual driver would like just a little.
Overall, the X3 isn't a bad vehicle. I know I started this piece stating that it had no place in the line-up. In reality, I still kind of feel that way. Especially with the brand-new X1 waiting in the wings to take centre stage. I think the X3 was an excellent idea when it was first unveiled nearly 12 years ago, but the relevance is going to slowly slip away as newer “cooler” models like the X1 swoop in to steal the limelight.
Piloting the X3 is nothing but smooth and flawless. Thanks to the magnesium-constructed, inline 6-cylinder engine beneath the xDrive28i's hood, it's one of the lightest sixes in its class. Fairly impressive, as it pushes out 240 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. And while that's not an astronomical amount of power, it's enough to power the X3 when needed and gives the driver that sporty feel, despite the crossover shape and size.
While not the sportiest of the X3s (that would be the X3 xDrive35i that resident speed demon Matt St-Pierre will be reviewing shortly), the xDrive28i still feels like it has track-time in its engineering, thanks to the 8-speed automatic transmission. I know, “sporty” and “automatic” don't usually go together, but there's something about BMW's Steptronic system that makes it one of the best I've driven.
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| Fairly impressive, the engine pushes out 240 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
Add to that the fact that it also helps the car to be more efficient, with faster gear changes that keep your revs low and your fuel consumption down, and you've got an automatic transmission even the most diehard manual driver would like just a little.
Overall, the X3 isn't a bad vehicle. I know I started this piece stating that it had no place in the line-up. In reality, I still kind of feel that way. Especially with the brand-new X1 waiting in the wings to take centre stage. I think the X3 was an excellent idea when it was first unveiled nearly 12 years ago, but the relevance is going to slowly slip away as newer “cooler” models like the X1 swoop in to steal the limelight.
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